"We're heeeere!" Mom sings, as the car pulls into a parking lot. I pause my game and look up. It's 2:47 now. Dang, I've been playing DS since we left the gas station! Time flies when you're playing Super Mario Bros. 3, I guess.
"C'mon, kid. Time to unpack." Dad unlocks the trunk and we all step outside.
I look up at the tan building with ”Hamilton Inn” written on it in bright, red letters.
"What the hell? We're living in a hotel?" I nearly drop my luggage.
"Raven, LANGUAGE!" Mom scolds, "Ladies don't curse. It makes them seem trashy."
"It's not like you don't drop the 'f' bomb once in a while.." I mumble.
"I don't want to deal with your rudeness, Raven. This conversation is over, young lady." she says, sternly. Wow, she seriously heard that? Not like I was arguing anyway; I was simply pointing out my mother's hypocrisy.
I walk over to the trunk, and pull out my other two suitcases. Dang, I'm gonna miss Oklahoma...our house, my friends...but the company my dad works for shut down and opened a new location here in Colorado. Since that's the best job he's ever had, of course he followed it. I don't blame him, though. We also have more relatives here, from his side of the family. I continue walking, and I hear the car beep twice behind me, reminding me it's locked. I wheel my suitcases to the door, right behind my mom just as Mom goes inside. Wow, she couldn't just hold the door open for me? Rude.
"Hello, welcome to Hampton Inn!" A young-looking girl with long, blonde hair says happily behind a desk.
"Hi, and uh...I'm with them." I point towards my family.
"Alright! Let me just write that down." She starts typing, while quietly saying to herself, "5 people...hmmm." She looks at all of us and smiles. "You guys will be staying in Room 24, on this floor. It's the best room there is in the whole hotel, in my opinion. It's right next to the pool area...great for families like yours, with smaller kids."
How could someone be so nice, working at a hotel at 3 o'clock, on a nice, sunny day? Shouldn't this girl be hanging out with her friends, partying, getting drunk...enjoying her summer, like most people do? She does look like she's at least 20.
She turns to some other girl and asks her to please take care of the front desk while she gives us the "welcome tour"...great.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I haven't even introduced myself. How rude of me!" She can't seriously think that's rude, can she?
"Well, I'm Jessica, and it's such a pleasure to meet you all! Now, if you follow me, I'll tell you all you need to know about the hotel, and the room you'll be staying in," she continues. After what seems like HOURS, she hands a little piece of paper to my mom.
"Here's the office number, so if you have any questions or need anything just call and let us know...or you can just go to the front desk, of course!" she laughs, and shuts the door. I drop my suitcases by the bed farthest from the door and jump onto it. Oh, gosh. It's so comfy...what is this? Memory foam? I lift the covers to check... I find: Tempurpedic. Yup, it's memory foam. I sit up, and look around the room. Hmm... a wall mounted TV, a desk in the corner, and taped to the wall, the wifi password. Not bad...good thing I brought my laptop. To my right, there's another queen-sized bed, the one that will be shared by my parents...and the one that I'm on...I'll be sharing with my siblings...well, with Clarissa. Noah will most likely want to sleep with Mom and Dad. I guess I could survive here...all I need now is food. I pick up the black phone on the nightstand by my bed, and dial the number on the little piece of paper that the blonde girl gave to my mom. Hmm...303? The area code is 405...or 918, in Oklahoma. Well, now I understand how the band 3oh!3 got their name. They are from Colorado, right? Well, my favorite band is AAR,or The All-American Rejects...so I really wouldn't know. They're from Stillwater, Oklahoma...the same city I lived in technically the last 14 years of my life, before now. It's a shame they're not popular. When I hear, "Hello? Anyone there?" I snap out of my thought trance. "Oh, uh...hi, I'm in Room 24. I just want some food...please?"
"What exactly do you want?"
"Onion rings and grilled cheese."
"I'll have that ready for you, as soon as possible! Anything to drink? Any dessert?" Oh, I bet I'm talking to the overly-cheery blonde girl... "I'll just have orange juice. Thanks." Wow, I didn't answer too nicely, did I? Oh, well. I'll just leave a good tip.
After a ten-minute wait, I hear a knock on my door, and open it to find the blonde girl smiling, holding a green tray with my beautiful food. "Thanks, umm...Jessica." I smile back and give her $8. "Oh, thank you, here's your change: $3.50," As she reaches into her pockets, I tell her to keep the change. She hesitantly walks away, holding the $8 in one hand. Wow. She's WAY too nice. Holy shit!! These onion rings are like...amazing. No, they're beyond amazing! How can I describe them? Little halos from food heaven? Dang, I love the room service here. How long will we even stay in this hotel? Because I'm starting to like it! Wait, I don't even know what day it is. Who cares? It's probably mid-July.
As I take a small bite out of one of my precious onion rings, my mother's voice resonates through the room. "Raven. Get up and put some shoes on. We're going shopping for school supplies." She says as she puts on some lipstick.
"What? Why so early? School starts the 26th of August. That's like A MONTH from now, Mom. Maybe even more than that." I roll my eyes.
"Not here, sweetheart. You start school the 13th." She winks and smirks at me, "Oh, and your registration's in 3 days, on the 29th, so you better find a cute outfit for your picture. "
What. The. Hell. This state is fucking...I mean, freaking, no...I mean fucking...CRAZY!! Or is it just the city? Whatever, it's not like it even matters anyway. I don't even know what city we're in!! UGH!!
"Damnit! I hate this stupid place. I just wanna go home. To Oklahoma. Why couldn't you like leave me with Grandma or something?" I start crying, and bury my head in my knees.
"Stop bitching, Raven." Mom's raised voice causes me to look up.
"I THOUGHT CURSING WAS FOR TRASHY WOMEN, BITCH!" I shout back, tears running down my face, "AND IT'S NOT BITCHING, IT'S VERBAL RELEASE THERAPY FOR YOUR FUCKING INFORMATION!" Oh, shoot. I just called my mother a bitch. And cursed at her...twice. Whoa.
I look up, expecting to see her ready to slap me, but she just stands there, her jaw dropped...hands trembling. She sits on her bed, by my siblings, who are now awake, and starts crying. Shit, what have I done? Now what? Do I apologize?
I feel kinda guilty about it, but I had my reasons. I mean, I'd lived in Oklahoma all my life before this. I have friends there, and my grandparents that I love so much! I'm just extremely homesick. Still, I've never cursed at her DIRECTLY, before this...just mentally. Welp, Dad won't be too happy about this.
~~~~~
Dinner that night is extremely awkward. Mom's eyes are still kinda puffy from all her crying, and her mascara is really messed up, even after she fixed it twice.
And that's why I don't wear makeup.
After I finish my Mac and Cheese, I go sit on my bed. I just wish I could have my own room in this hotel...a place where I could be alone, have some privacy...I hold back the tears because I don't want Dad to find out about what happened earlier today.
Mom decided to save the school supply shopping for tomorrow...maybe I could make it up to her then?
